Bridge construction



Nov) "2D 1923 R. Z. DRAKE BRIDC'TE coNsTRUcT1oN- Filed oct. 14

w25/Aria Patented Nov. 20, 1923.

e reise.

ROBERT z. BRAKE, or OMAHA. NEBRASKA.

BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION.

Application led October 14, 1922. f Serial No. 594,518.-

To @ZZ whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT Z. DRAKE, a citizenof the United States, residing at Qmaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bridge Construc tions, of which the following is a specification. y

This invention relates to an improvement in bridges, and particularly to an improved roadway or floor vfor a bridge, and has for its object, broadly, to providea floor of, comparatively, light weight and unusual durability, consisting of such parts that it may be constructed conveniently and at moderate expense.

Another object, more specific, is to provide a metallic bridge provided with a floor or roadway of such construction that it may have the advantages, in that respect, of a bridge of stone or concrete construction.

The invention includes the use of planks or similar fibrous strips of approximately uniform thickness for the side sections of the lioor of a bridge and strips of lesser thickness for the middle part thereof, to form a channel between the side sections for containing asphaltum, concrete, cementor other paving material. The invention also embodies certain features found to be practical in the formation of the floor, the planks or fibrous strips being disposed end-to-end, longitudinally o-f the bridge, and the joists, therefore, being disposed transversely of the bridge.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention presents a novel and useful construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as described herein and claimed, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein,-

Fig. l is a broken view showing a bridge in transverse section. Fig. 2 is abroken away, plan view illustrating parts of the bridge shown in 'Fig l. Fig. 3 is an enlarged, broken detail relating to Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

In the practical use of the invention, the Hoor joists 5 are disposed approximately at right-angles to the line of travel, and in the present instance they are secured at their ends to the I-beams 6, at the sides of the bridge.

Numerals 7 indicate floor-sections at the respective sides of the roadway, consisting of fibrous strips or planks 8 and 8 dispo-sedside-by-side and being, approximately, of uniform thickness. These side sections may have any suitable width, depending upon the proportions requiredk for a bridge, incident to its use.

Numerals 9 indicate secondary fibrous strips or planks of approximately yuniform thickness, disposed side-by-side to occupy the area between the planks 8 of the side sections 7, the thickness of the planks 9 being less than the thickness of the planks 8 or 8, to form a channel 10 for containing an indurate, imperforate filler or bed 11, such as concrete, cement, asphaltumor similar material used for paving.

All of the planks are secured at intervals of their length to the `floor j oists by suitable keepers, as by means of tap bolts 12, and the ends of the planks do not form any obstruction, since they are joined end-to-end, the

abutting ends of the` planks being secured firmly to the floor Vjoists 5 by means of the tap bolts, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The channel l0 may have any suitable depth, depending upon the requirements of the bridge, and difference in the thickness of the planks mentioned,and the channel may have any suitable width to permit the passage of vehicles in opposed directions on the bed 11. However, the iioor portions 7, while less durable, may be driven upon by vehicles,the planks 8 forming no obstruction whatever since thesurface of the bed 11 at its'junction withy the planks 8 is disposed'in the plane of the upper surface of the floor-sections 7 f y It will be appreciated that the floor thus provided will be durable. As is well known, the middle part of a bridge driven upon by vehicles, if the floor is constructed of wood, readily becomes worn, and replacement involves a considerable expense, but since by use of the invention a chan'nel is provided for containing the paving material, durability is attained. lso it will be apprecisuitable process for their preservation, as an immersion in or coating of creosote or tar, and after theyv have been secured to the transversely disposed joists, as mentioned, a channel of suitable width and'depth will be formed extending longitudinally of theV bridge. An imperforate'bed is then formed in the channel simply by depositing the plastic or semi-plastic material therein, Which soon becomes hardened Vand will be 'stationary with the planks 9, ready for use, veach of the side walls ofthe bed abuttingk upon a wall of the planks 8 of a side section, and the upper surfacesof these abutting parts being disposed in the same horiv zontalrplane.

While it isrpossibie that um Channel Could be formed by other means than described, it would not be practical and would be prohibitive on account of the great expense.`

' fill said channel.

In orderthat the sidewalls of the channel, which abut upon and support the sides of the bed, may be formed in a practical manner and conveniently, the planks should be disposed longitudinally of the bridge,

and it therefore follows that it would bey necessary that the floor joists be disposed transversely of the bridge.

' It should also be statedk that floor planks disposed longitudinallyof a bridge sustain stresses to'better advantage and will have a Vlesser degree of vibration vthan when disposed transversely.

While I have shown and prefer metallic vconstruction for bridges, including metallic floor joists and tap-bolts threaded in the joists, it will be understood thatI do not limit myself inl these respects, :nor to form,

size, proportion of the; parts or `minor de-V tails, changes in these matters being determined bythe scope Vof the invention as claimed.

I claim as my invention,`- .o .l 1. In a bridge floor, the combination with lfloor joists disposed transversely of theV bridge, of fibrous strips disposed end-toend longitudinally of the bridge and secured to the floor josts to form opposed sidevsections, secondary brous strips disposed longitudinally of the bridge between the side sec-- thickness than the thickness of the Vfirst named strips disposed between the sections to form a channel, and a bed having a greater degree of hardness than that ofl the fibrous strips and disposed to substantially 3. In a bridge floor, the combination with floor joists disposed transversely of the bridge, of fibrous strips disposed end-toend longitudinally of tl'ie bridge and secured to the floor joists to form opposed side sections, seconda-ry fibrous strips disposed longitudinally of the bridge between the side sections and secured to the floor joists, said secondary strips being of lesser thickness than the thickness of the first named stripsto form a channel between the side sections, and an indurate bed in the channel having each of.

its side walls abutting upon a wall of a side section, the upper surface of the bed and the upper surface of the side sections at their abutting walls being disposed in the same horizontal plane. s y

.In testimony whereof,r I have afIiXed my signature inpresence of two witnesses.

ROBERT z. D-RAKE. Witnesses: i

GRACE V. GRn-EN, YROY W. ANDERSON. 1 

